Unit earns moniker, Fore Runner, for their dedication to Soldiers on the front lines

Photo By Spc. Paul Harris | Pfc. Michael Walker, native of Atlanta, transportation specialist, Company F, 1-68 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers, loosens the straps around the wheelbase of a Republic of Georgia Humvee that had been transported to Forward Operating Base Gabe near Baqubah, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Paul J. Harris, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, August 5, 2006)  

BAQUBAH, IRAQ

08.25.2006

Courtesy Story

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

BAQUBAH, Iraq (August 21, 2006) -- As the sun crept up over Forward Operating Base Warhorse Soldiers scurried about, making sure straps are properly tied down to the trucks and pre-mission checks on their vehicles were conducted; all had to be done before they could depart the FOB to deliver much needed supplies to Soldiers at the outlying areas.

This is a daily routine for the Soldiers of Company F, 64th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 1-68 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers. Their frequent trips off the FOB and to the forefront have earned them the nickname, Fore Runner Company.

They are always at the forefront supporting the troops similar to the tip of a spear, explained First Sgt. Michael Young, the company's first sergeant.

However, before being deployed to Iraq in November 2005, and earning its moniker, the company went through a period of adjustments.

First, company F is attached to a support battalion, which means female Soldiers are allowed in the unit. The addition of female Soldiers has made it easier to fill the company's ranks and has improved camaraderie - a surprising revelation to Young, who had never worked with female Soldiers so closely before.

"It has changed my attitude and I have sisters in the Army," Young said. "There is no difference; they are just as hard-core as the guys. It's a good thing."

The second adjustment was training all the new Soldiers he received. Sixty percent of the company was fresh out of Advanced Individual Training. The solution was to have the company constantly train on tactics and procedures at Fort Carson, Colo. and continue that training everyday while they were here in Iraq.

"Every time we roll out we give a safety brief and go over what to do if we make contact with the enemy," said Sgt. James Rose, fuel handler, Co. F., 1-68 CAB.

The intense preparation has worked in Fore Runner's favor. While the company has had its fair share of scrapes with roadside bombs, the training and constant reinforcement of policy standards has kept Soldiers defended. So far the company has not had a Soldier killed.

Some of the policy standards non commissioned officers have been enforcing are wearing the required body armor when going on missions. With the temperatures in the Diyala Province averaging 120 degrees, Soldiers are tempted to not wear the additional side plates and shoulder protectors.

Sgt. 1st Class Lionel Allamby, Fore Runners platoon sergeant, said he does not buy the argument that it's too hot out as an excuse for not wearing the proper gear.

"It is real important to wear all of your gear because it is additional armor to protect yourself," Allamby explained. "If shrapnel was to penetrate a vehicle, the (body) armor is the last line of defense."

With all the challenges Fore Runner has faced, Young said he would not change a thing about his company.

"Because my Soldiers are combat service support instead of combat arms they have always felt like they have to take that extra step to prove themselves," Young said. "I have seen the Soldiers mature into highly motivated Soldiers and I would challenge them against any company in Soldier skills any day."

• Date Taken: 08.25.2006
• Date Posted: 08.25.2006 09:51
• Story ID: 7549
• Location: BAQUBAH, IQ